This invention is directed to a cathodic electrocoating composition and in particular to a cathodic electrocoating composition containing an anticrater agent which significantly reduces craters and improves the smoothness of an electrodeposited film of the composition.
The coating of electrically conductive substrates by an electrodeposition process, also called an electrocoating process is a well known and important industrial process. Electrodeposition of primers to automotive substrates is widely used in the automotive industry. In this process, a conductive article, such as an autobody or an auto part, is immersed in a bath of a coating composition of an aqueous emulsion of film forming polymer and acts as an electrode in the electrodeposition process. An electric current is passed between the article and a counter-electrode in electrical contact with the aqueous emulsion, until a desired coating is deposited on the article. In a cathodic electrocoating process, the article to be coated is the cathode and the counter-electrode is the anode.
Resin compositions used in the bath of a typical cathodic electrodeposition process also are well known in the art. These resins typically are made from polyepoxide resins which have been chain extended and then an adduct is formed to include amine groups in the resin. Amine groups typically are introduced through reaction of the resin with an amine compound. These resins are blended with a crosslinking agent and then neutralized with an acid to form a water emulsion which is usually referred to as a principal emulsion.
The principal emulsion is combined with a pigment paste, coalescent solvents, water, and other additives to form the electrocoating bath. The electrocoating bath is placed in an insulated tank containing the anode. The article to be coated is the cathode and is passed through the tank containing the electrodeposition bath. The thickness of the coating that is deposited on the article being electrocoated is a function of the bath characteristics, the electrical operating characteristics of the tank, the immersion time, and the like.
The resulting coated article is removed from the bath after a set period of time and is rinsed with deionized water. The coating on the article is cured typically in an oven at sufficient temperature to produce a crosslinked finish on the article.
Cathodic electrocoating compositions, resin compositions, coating baths and cathodic electrodeposition processes are disclosed in Jarabek et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,922,253 issued Nov. 25, 1975; Wismer et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,419,467 issued Dec. 6, 1983; Belanger U.S. Pat. No. 4,137,140 issued Jan. 30, 1979 and Wismer et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,468,307 issued Aug. 25, 1984.
A continuing problem with cathodic electrocoating compositions has been the presence of craters in the cured finish. An additive or agent is needed for electrocoating compositions so that crater-free, smooth and even finishes are formed on electrodeposition and curing. Chung et al U.S. Pat. No. 5,356,960 issued Oct. 18, 1994 shows an anticrater addititve that forms a crater free, smooth and even finish. However, when this additive is used in an electrocoating composition that is baked in an indirect gas oven after application to a metal substrate such as an automobile or truck body, this anticrater additive migrates very readily to the surface of the electrocoating composition during baking and any primer compositions applied over such a surface containing polymeric melamine crosslinking agents adhere poorly to the electrocoat composition and hence, adhesion failure of any topcoat applied over the primer is readily evident. An anticrater additive is needed that will not migrate to the surface of the deposited electrocoating composition during baking and should not adversely affect other properties such as the throwing power of the electrocoating bath, the curing of the deposited coating or the film properties of the resulting finish.